The Kowhai Programme, a family carer education programme, has run in Dunedin since 2011. Developed from research with family members caring for a loved one at the end of life, a series of twelve topics was identified as key information that would benefit those family carers. 

 

With equity and access in mind, it was extended to rural regions early in 2020. The arrival of Covid19 instigated further changes in programme delivery. We also understood that many people who didn’t have access to the programme would benefit from the information.  Knowing the podcast platform is increasingly used to access expert information, yet a search of palliative podcasts found little family carer information. It was apparent that this innovation could be a way to share this information beyond those enrolled on a hospice programme. 

 

This Ending Life Well podcast series is a natural progression as we endeavour to reach our communities in the ways they need to be reached. And to reach beyond hospice patients, giving something back to the communities that support us. The podcast series enables anyone caring for someone who is palliative to access key information. While written in NZ it is being downloaded around the world and is particularly relevant across Australasia.